Comments on: What do you want to accomplish this year?

By: L’observatoire de la traduction » Blog Archive » Résolutions 2009 pour traducteurs professionnels indépendants

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:14:59 +0000

[...] Début d’année oblige, j’ai lu avec beaucoup de plaisir son dernier article (What do you want to accomplish this year?) ainsi que le précédent, où elle s’interroge sur les perspectives que réservent 2009 aux [...]

By: Judy Jenner

Judy Jenner — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:10:55 +0000

I really like the idea of breaking the projects down into smaller pieces that make them seem much more realistic.

I didn’t have any formal goals, but now that you made me think of them, here we are:

* After much cajoling, I have finally decided to present my “What I Learned in Business School: Lessons for Linguists” lecture/discussion forum at the 50th Annual Translators Association’s conference in New York in November. That is, if they accept my proposal. My presentation is actually done, and I will present it at my local chapter in April.
* One of the reasons for going freelance was that I wanted to spend more time with my family. I now am: I am going to be working with my twin sister in Vienna for six weeks starting January 26. Checking off that goal!
* I recently became a board member of the nearly formed Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association. My goal is to have 25 additional members in Southern Nevada by the end of the year.
* I want to continue encouraging fellow translators to increase their income and job satisfaction by finding more direct clients. In the future, I’d like to see every qualified translator making a good living, and I hope I can (at least marginally) contribute to that.
* I would like to publish an article in a translation-related journal. One is already being published by the Austrian Translators Association, but my twin is on their Board of Directors, so not sure that counts.
* I want to continue building and maintaining a fantastic network of fellow linguists nationally and worldwide: the folks who are my inner working circle, so to say.
*In terms of marketing, I will send out at least one (free) press release about our company every two months.
*Run my seventh half marathon.

By: Corinne McKay

Corinne McKay — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:21:29 +0000

Thanks to everyone for your comments, it’s fun to see other people’s professional and personal goals and we can check in throughout the year to see how the progress is going! The only problem is that it makes me think “Oh, I need to… (spruce up my office, ask clients for more money, come up with some new activities for the local translators’ group, create a French section on my website, etc.)” in addition to everything else I want to do. Now it’s time to triage these resolutions!

By: Ryan Ginstrom

Ryan Ginstrom — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:02:28 +0000

My professional goals/plans for 2009:

* Create a Japanese-language website
* Write a book (development-related)
* Do a presentation at IJET (http://ijet.jat.org)
* Gain super powers (just kidding)

By: MT

MT — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:42:38 +0000

My hopes for my business in 2009: keep better track of which clients have paid their invoices (wean myself off the bookkeeper for that), take more minibreaks during long stretches of work (to do a little gardening, food prep, cleaning, fun things with the family, etc.), hunt even harder for just the right word, continue asking clients for more money just to see if they’ll pay it (it never hurts to ask), pursue clients who want to pay me well for work I enjoy, pursue clients who are pleasant to work with, keep up-to-date with my paperwork filing, try to get more work done during business hours so I don’t have to work late at night or early in the morning (with a family this isn’t always so easy), and finally, try to promote the books I’ve translated so that people will read them (too bad I can’t tell you which ones they are… Doh!)

By: jillsommer

jillsommer — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:21:20 +0000

I’m not one for resolutions either, although I have worked out in the pool every day so far this year. Hope I can keep it up… I want to find some new clients as well so that I can be a bit more discerning. I also need to muster up some enthusiasm for my local translators group, which I’ve neglected over the last six or seven months. On a personal note, I’ve also decided I am going to volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Other than that I am simply going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.

By: yndigo

yndigo — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:08:31 +0000

Corinne,

First, thanks for the “shout-out.”

You’re so right, it’s easy to get daunted by all there is to do. Small daily tasks are the way to go and I’m trying to teach myself that. I remember reading that Emile Zola wrote 2 to 3 pages every single day (before lunch) and, at that pace, wrote 20 (thick) novels in a span of 20 years. How did he avoid writers’ block?

Anyway, thanks for continuing to write a fantastic blog and helping to inspire and educate new translators!

Happy 2009!

Glenn

By: Marianne

Marianne — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:31:14 +0000

Hi Corinne,

Great post once again!
I would like to increase my direct-client base so like you I can really work on projects I have chosen and not just projects I need to take on to pay the bills!
I also dream of translation a book. I am looking for a good opportunity ( and speaking of books to translate, I had an idea for you. I will send you an email).
I would like to work more efficiently so I have more time to devote to my family and to some other projects/goals.
And I would like to make my working space very comfortable, beautiful and free of stress now that we will be moving to a new house soon!
That already seems like too long of a list to accomplish it so I will stop here.
Thanks,

Marianne